“I was told it was time,” Arturo grinned back. If he’d know how fun weddings were he’d have done this earlier. It was like a giant party with all his friends. Food was catered, an open bar, dancing. Truly a perfect day.

“I’m glad that I approached you that day. You know, I almost didn’t, but you looked so happy.”

“Back when I first moved to town? I was terribly miserable,” Arturo laughed.

“Not when you were dancing. You were completely lost in the music and I knew we had to meet.”

“Well, I’m glad you did. You’re my best friend here in town.”

“You’re mine too.”

He didn’t see Bella much for the rest of the wedding, with the vows, and cakes, and crowds. But he didn’t have more than a few minutes with anyone before he was being called away and congratulated by another group. How could he have known it was the last time?

“Yes, I heard. Hayden called last night,” he told Katie over the phone.

“What’s he going to do now?”

“I haven’t heard. We’re taking the girls to the park today though, you’re welcome to tag along with Karen.”

***

No one had much fun at the park. Sam tried to engage everyone in his pirate escapades, but the girls were sad and lackluster in their play. Sam had been told to be nice to them, but it wasn’t fun being a space pirate when your minions kept ignoring their orders and you weren’t allowed to yell at them.

Eventually they gave up and hung out on the monkey bars while the adults were busy chatting. To Sam it felt like the whole world was waiting for something, but he didn’t know what. “I heard your mom died.” Sam said at last. He tried to image a world without his mom. Was it even possible that the sun would rise without his mom there singing and making pancakes? It would be light, but it wouldn’t be morning.

Now, all his friends were growing up or growing away. First, Stefan moved on to high school. They still saw each other, but it wasn’t the same, he didn’t want to play Space Pirates now, and he was too tall to play on the monkey bars. If Rachelle and Stefanie moved away, he only had Karen. Despite his mom’s efforts, he didn’t really get along with her. They were just too different.

But, things would be better when his little sister was born, right? She couldn’t go away so he’d always have a willing minion. At least that what he hoped. What if Isabelle was like Karen and didn’t like playing make believe?

***

“Oooh, thanks.” Chana said leaning into the massage. “I’ve had that knot all day.”

Arturo leaned in close, stealing a kiss. “Any day now?”

“Any moment, I hope,” she said. “I forgot how annoying this is at the end. I can never seem to get comfortable.”

Arturo continued rubbing her shoulders in silence. He wasn’t exactly sure how to broach the subject, but Chana and Bella had been good friends, right?

“I was thinking about changing her name,” he began.

Chana raised her eyebrows. “Our baby?”

“Isabella.” He waited and was relieved when a smile broke out on Chana’s face.

“Oh, that’s a lovely thought.”

***

Not long after their conversation, little Isabella (Bella to her father) was born.

She was a spark of joy in the Huffmans’ life. Her laughter brought smiles to everyone’s faces and helped chase away the cloud of sorrow that had loomed over the household since learning of Bella’s death and then the Olveras moving to Oasis Springs.

Arturo sang her all the silly songs he’d sung to Samuel. “You are my stardust, my only stardust…”

Sam whispered to her all the rules of how to play pirates correctly so there would be no confusion when her birthday came.

“First rule is, I am Sam the One-Eyed pirate king. You have to do everything I say.”

Author’s Note: I didn’t notice when Bella died, but the last time we saw her was at the Huffman’s wedding. She was a great friend and perfect introduction for Arturo to Windenburg. Bella’s aging and death changed my plan for Arturo and Chana. I had intended that every generation would have a youth potion to repeat their adult year. But when I saw Bella aged up I realized they would outlive all there friends by a considerable amount and that was too tragic to bear. Youth potions will only be reserved for sims who express a desire for them and when they desire them. Not the whims of their benevolent overlord who just wants them to live longer for her own selfish reasons.

Lastly, with Hayden widowed, my progression mod took that to mean that he was free to start a new relationship if he wished. He and the girls moved to Oasis Springs. We haven’t met his new lady friend yet, but I think the twins have a little half-sister.

AWE Bella Nooooo! She was my fav after all 😥 Hope to meet their half sister soon. This was a beautiful depiction and celebration of Bellas Life job well done!! Also, Welcome to the Simiverse Isabella!!

I hope to have townies half as good going forward. And maybe we can get her genes into out Huffman pool someday. I wanted to find some small way to remember her either way. In her father’s eyes, she will always be his little Bella!

Aww, Bella. This really hit me. I’m best friends in a “mixed-gender” friendship (love the fact one was depicted here, as they so rarely are in fiction, and any time they are, they *always* have to “turn into something romantic”… bah!) and my BFF is a decade-plus older than me, so I’m sure one day I’m going to be in a similar situation, where he’ll be an elder and I’ll still be an older adult and I’ll have to face the fact that when mortality rears its ugly head, its likely going to be the older of us that has to go first, and that is going to be hard. Poor poor Arturo. *sniffles*

Probably helps that non-romantic relationships are all I do in real life.

It always bugs me that “romance” is seen as the ultimate goal of all relationships. Bella and Arturo never even tried romance. It was always platonic for them. I shall have to make sure to capture more of these types of friendships as the generations pass.

Yes, maybe it takes a fellow Ace to understand! I completely agree, so many of the TV shows I watch always fall into that trap: “Well, obviously since this character is male and that character is female they have to hook up!” Like that’s the ultimate goal and friendship can’t be “good enough” or something. (What was wrong with Castle when Beckett and Castle weren’t a couple? Why did they have to force Sheldon into sexual relations in BBT? Etc. etc.) I absolutely love those deep friendships that don’t have to be “something else” based on gender (and this is probably why Donna will always be my favorite companion). Anyway, I’ll get off my little soapbox and just say… Bella and Arturo, you two were awesome, and Bella, you will be missed, lovely!

Losing a sim is always difficult in the game. I made the decision to play with aging on into my life cycles to be real but it is difficult when you’re attached to them. Love the way you dealt with the death of Bella.

Bella was an awesome friend to the Huffmans. Sometimes I think it’ll be better to turn aging off so I’m not rushed all the time. But I need that cycle of death and birth to help the story move forward. It’s a balance.

I have had a few that were harder to let go of .. some still stay fondly in my memory! I had a legacy character named Rusty and he married Cassandra Goth .. they loved each other so much that she dies during Grimmy visit to take Rusty .. my mouth hung open but it was right!

I am so sorry for the Huffmans that a wonderful friend has passed from their lives.

I am so curious about your youth potion idea. I may need to visit that as both my founder and mate took them but then their friends all outgrew them and died before I was ready so I did cheat with MC CC to bring them back to life and revert them to adult status. I figured because it’s my legacy and I wasn’t cheating the legacy family and for a good purpose I could get them back. 😝

Oooh – That’s a great idea to age them back down! I’m still vaguely pinstar compliant with the Huffmans. But yeah, generations go way too fast without a single youth potion. I’m tempted to force everyone to take one upon reaching the end of young adult. I wish TS4 would give us greater control over lifespans soon.